Biggest Star of March Madness Is an 8-Year-Old Girl Fighting Cancer

All three will take the spotlight in this week's Sweet 16, but the biggest star of March Madness is Lacey Holsworth, an 8-year-old girl battling a rare form of nerve cancer. After striking up an unlikely friendship with Michigan State's fearsome forward Adreian Payne, Lacey's beloved by Payne's teammates, college basketball media and March Madness fans alike. A fan-launched crowdfunding campaign has raised more than $28,000 for her treatment.

Payne is arguably Michigan State's best player. If the four-seed Spartans can beat one-seed Virginia on Friday, and then win again on Sunday to earn a Final Four berth, it will likely be thanks to heroics from Payne.

But any potential on-court deeds from the 6-foot-10, 245-pound Payne won't compare to what he means to Lacey. The 8 year old and her family call Payne a "brother" and "Superman."

Payne and Lacey first met two years ago, when the Spartans basketball team visited a local hospital. Payne was touched by her optimism in the face of extreme illness, according the Detroit Free Press, and a simple hospital visit turned into something more. They've kept in touch ever since, whether via text messages and social media or Payne visiting her and her family. The Holsworths have become regulars at the Breslin Center, where Payne and the Spartans play their home games.

Michigan State's Adreian Payne, left, meets with Lacey Holsworth and her family at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich., Monday, March 15, 2013.

Image: Larry Lage/Associated Press

“She calls me her ‘Superman,’ but she’s the one who’s got the super strength,” Payne told the Free Press. “She’s incredible with everything she’s gone through. (Doctors) told her she wouldn’t walk again. But she did. She’s just an incredible fighter. And if I can bring her a little bit of happiness to help her forget everything for a little while, then that’s what I want to do.”

Payne is a senior and a surefire pro after this season ends. On Senior Night this season — when family and friends accompany players in their final year onto the court — guess who Payne picked to walk out with him and his father before the Michigan State crowd one last time?

Lacey.

Michigan State senior Adreian Payne addresses the crowd during a senior night ceremony as he stands with his guest, Lacey Holsworth, Thursday, March 6, 2014, in East Lansing, Mich.

Image: Al Goldis/Associated Press

Then, when Michigan State won the Big Ten Conference tournament 10 days later, who helped Payne cut down the net in celebration?

Lacey.

Michigan State forward Adreian Payne, left, cuts the net with Lacey Holsworth, who is battling cancer and has become close to Payne, after Michigan State defeated Michigan to win the Big Ten Conference tournament on March 16, 2014.

Image: Michael Conroy/Associated Press

But when Payne scored 41 points last Friday to lead the Spartans to their first March Madness win this year, Lacey was far away, recovering from a seizure. A message posted to her Twitter and Instagram accounts said Lacey "has not been feeling very well" and continued:

Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. She is resting at home and was able to keep track of her brother @adreian_payne huge game last night. She was very happy for him and as always it brought a smile to her face to see his on the tv screen. She has known all along that he's Superman! Thank you for your continued prayers as she starts to feel better and better.

Last week, college basketball commentator Jay Bilas — a beloved personality on Twitter, and someone who had never followed another account on the social network — finally followed someone. That someone was Lacey, and Bilas explained why.

Moved by the outpouring of support and positive attention surrounding Payne and Lacey earlier this month, lifelong Michigan State fan Jeff Martin started a crowdfunding campaign on the site GiveForward. He told Mashable he donated the first $100 to help with her family's medical expenses. At time of this writing, the fund stood at $29,102 and Martin had struck up an email correspondence with Lacey's father, Matt. The campaign's total goal is $50,000, and it has 72 days left to reach that number.

After the Spartans' first tourney win, the one in which Payne scored 41 points, he told Fox Sports what it was like playing under the cloud of Lacey's recent seizure. (She's since feeling better, according to social media posts from her family.)

"I talked to them yesterday, I talked to Lacey and her parents yesterday and it's hard and it's like having a family member that's really sick and ill," Payne said. "The only thing you can do is just play basketball and you can't be there with them. And just knowing that when I play well it makes her happy, it feels like I'm doing something in a way to help her feel better."

If Payne can lead Michigan State to four more wins and the NCAA title, you can only imagine how happy that would make Lacey. But one thing is already clear: Lacey knows who her champion is, no matter what the next two weeks bring.

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